Private Project

Joining the Birds

Living in a cramped apartment on the beach, Jia longs for the affection of her immature mother, Kata. When Jia seeks Kata out at her favorite club, her mother’s sudden attention is as alluring as it is disorienting.

  • Carrie Carusone
    Director
  • Carrie Carusone
    Writer
  • Francisco Cabrera
    Producer
  • Chris Violette
    Director of Photography
  • Alexander Ullom
    Editor
  • Project Type:
    Student
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes 36 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 1, 2020
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    RED
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.00:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes
Director - Carrie Carusone
Director Statement

Joining the Birds stands to serve as a representation of the cyclical confusion and pain around femininity and motherhood. There are four main characters: all women at different ages with different perspectives of sexuality and life itself.

Ultimately, this story serves as a visual alter-ego of my childhood. After my parent’s divorce, my mother went on a rage of self-discovery, leaving me out of the mix and alone in the house. I learned that in the face of poverty, immaturity rises as the bigger antagonist in a story. Poverty was my landscape, but my longing to be an interest to my mother was my driving force. However, as the title lends itself to, the desire to let go of one’s anger and actively choose their path is a decision that empowers a viewer of any background.